Immune Booster
In response to the current global health crisis, I'd like to share with you some ideas on the importance of building internal immunity alongside the more widely practiced external immunity-focused public health recommendations. As we work to flatten the curve and contain the spread of the COVID pandemic through self isolation, social distancing, and frequent hand washing, what has been less emphasized is shoring up the immune system from the inside.
This is an area I've been really passionate about for the past two decades after finding myself in my late twenties with small kids, sleep deprived and dealing with all the stresses of life. My immune system was so weak, it felt like I would get sick every time the wind changed directions.
Because of my own struggles in this area, I've developed an effective toolkit over that past 20 years, and I've been sharing it with patients ever since, building weak and depleted immune systems with a combination of Chinese Medicine, The Three Free Therapies of Movement, Nutrition, and Rest, and a few other time tested best practices. Here's a list of some of the top things I recommend for my patients. You can use them in addition to the external immune boosting routines we're all using to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and healthy.
MOVEMENT
Move often throughout the day. The Circulatory and Lymphatic System depend on regular movement to function properly.
Bouncing, shaking, laughing and rhythmically contracting/relaxing muscles in a repeated motion are all super beneficial for the immune system.
I've recorded 3 movement practice videos you can do on my YouTube Channel HERE, but moving in any and all of the ways you love to move everyday is vital for optimal immune function.
NUTRITION
In general, a diet that focuses on a variety of whole, local and organic foods on rotation is key. For specifics, eat a diet that is right for your body. Not trying to oversimplify here, but, the truth is, diet is so highly individualized. What works well for one person can set off a cascade of immune an… but the truth is diet is so highly individualized. What works well for one person can set off a cascade of immune an… but the truth is diet is so highly individualized. What works well for one person can set off a cascade of immune and allergic responses in another, weakening their system. Some people do really well with fasting, some don't. Some people do great with lots of meat, some don't. Some are better with mostly raw foods, for others it's depleting. Some people do great with vegan diet, others less so.
For me, it works to eat an omnivorous diet with a variety of different whole foods, and lots of colour. I eat mostly cooked foods and a small amount of raw foods. This is a highly individualized process and I can help you find the balance that's right for your constitution, but generally notice how the food eat eat affects your mood, energy levels, concentration and sleep. If you pay attention, you'll notice the you have adverse reactions to certain foods that can last hours or days. Other foods will help you feel energized and centred, and give you more restful sleep. Each person needs to go through their own individual journey to find what's right for them. I can help you with this process if you want support.
What we do know is that everyone benefits from the following:
Avoid overeating
Stay hydrated. Drink 8-12 glasses of lemon water or herbal tea per day (ideally 30 minutes prior to or 2 hours after meals to keep your digestive juices strong).
Limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol. They all suppress the immune system.
Load up on Immune Building Nutritents like:
Vitamin C (1000-4000mg/day depending on bowel tolerance)
Vitamin A and D (4000-8000IU/day)
Selenium (200mcg/day)
Iodine (kelp is an excellent source) (250mcg/day)
Zinc (30mg/day)
Take Immune Boosting Adaptogenic Herbs. These help your immune system adapt to fluid and changing stressors. My favourite is North American Ginseng (in Canada I recommend Cold Fx which is concentrated NA Ginseng anywhere else), but others include Astraglus, Codonopsis, Cordyceps, Reishi, and Rhodiola, either individually or in combination. An example of a good combo is St. Francis Deep Immune Formula.
Caution: people overactive immune systems (ie autoimmune responses) need to use caution with supplements and herbs that boost the immune system and should consult a health care provider before taking them.
Ginger is an immune super food that improves the function of your lungs and protects the lining of the mucosa in your respiratory tract. Here are two ways I like to use Ginger therapeutically:
Juice .5-1kg of fresh ginger, keep the juice in the fridge or freezer in ice cube trays. Drink 2-4 oz of ginger with lemon, honey and hot water per day.
This is good if your body temperature is usually normal to hot, as fresh ginger lowers your core body temperature by causing you to sweat and dump heat off the surface of your body.
Take 1-3tsp of dried ginger (up to 6 tea bags) with hot water, lemon and honey, portioned out through out the day as your taste permits.
This is best if you tend to run cold, as dried ginger raises your core body temperature.
REST
This one can be the most challenging for a lot of people, but learning to rest is also the most beneficial of all all the practices for the immune system.
Deep rest is crucial to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which weakens the immune system.
Getting get at 7-9 hours of sleep per night is hands down the most powerful immune tonic is to optimize your sleep so you t. The number of people that need less than this due to a genetic variance is so small that, it's practically zero percent.
During sleep is when your brain's lymph system cleans itself, when your body replenishes its supply of immune cells, and creates the optimal hormone balance.
Take some time 1 hour before bed to wind down with a simple self care routine. Things like aromatherapy, a hot bath, foot massage, some gentle stretches.
If possible try to avoid sedatives. Sedation does not give all the immune enhancing benefits of deep sleep. Try natural relaxants like Magnesium, Melatonin, Kava Kava or Valerian that don't disrupt sleep
Meditation is wonderful way to connect with your centre and rest behind the thoughts, emotions and sensations you're experiencing.
Restorative Yoga, teaches us the art of rest through various comfortable supported positions. The Restorative Yoga Deck is a wonderful resource that includes many postures, techniques and sequences like this immune building sequence.
Other Helpful Practices
Mindset
Working with emotions is a very powerful way to boost your immune system and clear the things that could be weakening it.
Here are the things I've found helpful:
Avoid negativity. Our psychology directly impacts your physiology. Train your attention. What are you paying most attention to? Your attention is your choice; it's your freedom. Cultivating a positive mindset in the face of fear, uncertainty and challenge takes courage, and strength. Dig deep. It's in you to feed the "wolf inside" that is loving, patient, compassionate, joyful and equanimous.
Avoid worry. It consumes and wastes your energy. As the Dalai Lama says: "If there is something to be done, do it, without any need to worry; if there is nothing to be done, worrying about it further will not help."
Avoid acting from anger when possible. In times of crisis it is natural to feel lots of difficult emotions, including anger. When anger comes up, try not to re-act, instead allow yourself to feel it. Find your centre and do what needs to be done to protect yourself and those around you. Acting out of anger weakens your system, so whenever possible make the space for compassion. Be patient with yourself. You're doing the best you can.
Gratitude and Grief
I wrote a post a few months ago HERE on the importance of acknowledging and working with Grief, which is the emotion stored in the Lungs according to Chinese Medicine.
Positive affirmations can help to imprint and feed more constructive beliefs that contribute to your overall health and wellbeing. For example, if you are afraid and always paying attention to your fear, you will notice being more fearful which will become an automatic habit. If you get a lot of colds and flus, and keep telling yourself, "I always get sick..." or "I have a weak immune system", this becomes the automatic habit that affects your reality.
Instead I like to use affirmations like, "I am strong, resilient, adaptable and courageous" or "My immune system is working perfectly, keeping me strong and healthy". The key thing about affirmations is how it makes you feel. Pick the words that help you feel strong and empowered instead of helpless and doubtful, creating a positive habitual loop.
Cold Immersion
Strategic Cold Exposure is a form of Hormesis, which is very powerful way to boost the immune system by triggering your bodies innate capacity to meet and adapt to external challenges. You can play with this on your own, or work with a qualified coach. The idea here is that our systems needs stress to build capacity to handle stress; or put another way, the absence of stress is in itself stressful.
For me this has been a very powerful way to boost my immune system. It's challenging though. Even though I do it daily, it doesn't really get easier.
The way I recommend starting to work with cold is in your daily shower. Start with a comfortable temperature and then at the end switch to as cold as possible for 30 seconds. Work with your breathing. Relax your body as much as possible. It's challenging, but it will trigger your immune system from the inside. Do it daily, working up at your own pace to 2 minutes of cold.
Qi Gong and Energy Work
"Energetic Cocooning" is a Qi Gong exercise I like that I learnt from Aadil Palkhivala many years ago. In it you envelop your body with a semi-permeable energy shield that keeps your vibration high and strong even when you're exposed to negative thoughts and feelings around you.
Technique: Begin with hands together at the heart at the heart centre, imaging a ball of white light, like a mini sun in the centre of your chest (you can use a candle to remind you of the colour and feeling of life energy from the sun). Inhale the feeling and image of the ball of light up and around the sides of your body, creating a cocoon of light all the way around your body to about 6 inches below the feet. Repeat the process, bringing the hands down the front and back of the body to create a three dimensional cocoon.
Photo credit: @acreativegangster